Display stand



Sept. 1

Filed Feb. 17, 1955' G. A. ZANINOVICH 2,762,513

DISPLAY STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L V-IIL'IIIIIWIIIIIIIIIIIIII *1? GEORGE A. ZAN/NOV/Cl-l lNl ENTOR HUEBNER, BEEMER,

wok/m. & HERZ/G ATTORNEKS v zw/ym DISPLAY STAND George A. Zaninovich, Dinuba, Calif.

Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337,347

6 Claims. (Cl. 2111.6)

The present invention relates to display stands and more particularly to a collapsible display stand which is power driven for more eifective display purposes.

The psychological advantages of movement in attracting visual attention has long been recognized. Effective display of merchandise for sales purposes requires that the attention of prospective purchasers be attracted to the merchandise as efiiciently as possible. The display stand of the present invention not only provides the visual attraction incident to movement but enhances this advantage by the employment of oppositely moving members and permits the display of increased quantities of merchandise in limited areas by its circuitous travel of the merchandise for successive observation by prospective customers at innumerable positions.

It is also desirable in stores and the like frequently to rearrange the locations of display stands so as to take advantage of the novelty of change. The display stand of th present invention not only is light-weight and easy to move but can be disassembled, as for compact storage or transportation, and reassembled quickly and easily.

An object of the present-invention is to provide an improved display stand having the visual attention attractive advantages of movement.

Another object is to provide for the more effective display of increased quantities of merchandise in restricted nited States Patent areas making possibl the more efficient utilization of floor space.

Another object is to provide an improved collapsible, power driven display stand.

Another object is to provide a display stand having oppositely rotated sign means and merchandise display trays.

Another object is to provide a stand of the character referred to in the preceding paragraph in which the trays are optionally driven and released for static display purposes or manual positioning as desired.

Other objects are to provid improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device of the character and for the purposes set forth that is economical to produce, durable in structure, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended function.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a display stand embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the display stand.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the display stand, as viewed from line 3-3 in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section taken through the central portion of the display stand on line 44 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the stand having a central portion broken away for illustrative convenience.

'ice

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, somewhat enlarged, vertical section through one leg of a base member of the stand, as viewed from line 77 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower end portion of the display stand.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings:

The display stand of the present invention is supported on a base member 10 comprising a central erect pedestal 11 and a plurality of radially and arcuately downwardly extended legs 12. The lower ends of the legs terminate in a common plane perpendicular to the axis of the pedestal so that the pedestal extends vertically when the base member is supported on a flat horizontal surface such as a supporting floor. A bore 13 is formed downwardly from the upper end of the pedestal. The lower end of the elongated cylindrical spindle 14 is rotatably fitted into the bore 13, its weight being supported on a plurality of spherical roller bearings 15 located between the lower end of the spindle and the bottom of the bore.

The spindle 14 projects upwardly from the base 10 and has an axially disposed receptacle 20 formed downwardly into the upper end thereof. A display sign, indicated generally by the reference numeral 21, is removably supported on the upper end of the spindle. The display sign comprises a central elongated sign support 22 provided with a stud 23 at its lower end fitted downwardly into the receptacle 20 for assembly of the sign on the spindle. A plurality of rectangular sign frames 24 are removably attached to the sign support and radially extended therefrom. Removably mounted on the sign support and the sign frames is a sign plate 25 that is upwardly'extended therefrom. A card holder 26 is secured to both faces of the sign plate. The sign frames 24 and the card holder 26 are each adapted to receive a card or sign 27 therein bearing data pertinent to goods displayed in the stand. The support 22, frames 24, plate 25, holder 26, and sign 27 may be of any desired form and are not described in greater detail.

In order to provide driven rotation of the spindle, a platform 30 is secured between the lower end of the pedestal 11. and a pair of the legs 12. A motor 31 having a motor shaft 32 is attached to the upper side of the platform with the motor shaft axially parallel to the spindle. The motor has any suitable reduction transmission, not shown, so that the shaft 32 is rotated slowly when the motor is energized. The spindle is rotatably driven from the motor by a pulley 33 mounted on the motor shaft and a pulley 34 attached to the spindle. An endless belt 35 extends circuitously around the pulleys 33 and 34 and provides the desired driven interconnection thereof.

A tray assembly 40 is rotatably supported on the spindle 14 including a support tube 41 on which are removably and vertically adjustably supported a plurality of trays 42. The support tube is elongated and provides a constricted upper end 43 having a downwardly and inwardly disposed frusto-conical bearing surface 44. The tube is mounted concentrically on the spindle 14 and supported by a bearing block 45 secured to the spindle, said block having a frusto-conical upper surface 46. A plurality of rollers 47 are located between the frusto-conical surfaces 44 and 46 to facilitate free turning of the tube on the spindle. The lower end of the tube 41 is maintained concentrically of the spindle by bearing races 48 and 49 mounted on the spindle and in the lower end of the support tube, respectively. A plurality of roller bearings 50 are revolvably located between the races 48 and 49.

' The trays 42 are supported in vertically spaced relation on the support tube 41 by a plurality of elongated channel members 55 secured longitudinally to the exterior surface of the tube. The number of channel members provided may vary but in the form shown, four in number are secured to the support tube in equally spaced relation and provide dependable tray support. A plurality of keyhole slots 56 are formed through each of the channel members in corresponding substantially equally vertically spaced relation. Each keyhole slot has a larger upper circular end portion 57 and a lower constricted portion 58.

Each of the trays 42 is supported by a plurality of triangular brackets 62 individually attached to the channel members 55. Each bracket has an attaching leg 63 and a tray. supporting leg 64. The attaching leg is adapted to be attached to the channel members While the tray supporting leg extends horizontally and radially outwardly from thetube 41. A headed bolt 65, engageable in the keyhole s1ots,'is mounted on the attaching leg of each bracket in spaced relation to the lower end thereof. A strut 66 interconnects the attaching leg and the tray supporting leg of each bracket and is also engageable in the keyhole slots. Both the headed bolts 65 and the struts 66 extend loosely through the attaching legs of their respective brackets. The bolts haveheads 68 in spaced relation to their respective legs and the struts 66 have heads 69 also in spaced relation to their respective legs. The heads on each leg are spaced for concurrent engagement with pairs of vertically spaced keyhole slots and are shaped for locked reception thereby. When the heads are inserted into the slots, their bracket is permitted to gravitate downwardly with the heads moving into the constricted lower portions 58 of the slots. The brackets are thus removably and vertically adjustably held on the support tube 41. Nuts 70 are screw-threaded onto the headed bolts 65 and the struts 66 and are tightened against their respective channel members to preclude inadvertent removal of the brackets from the channels.

Each of the trays 42 is adapted to support a quantity of merchandise, not shown, therein and is provided with a horizontal bottom 73 having a central opening 74 fitted to the tube 41 and channel members 55. .A cylindrical wall 75 is attached to the periphery of the bottom and projects upwardly therefrom. The bins are preferably of progressive diameters so that they may nest when removed from the brackets 62. The tray assembly 40 is formed by first mounting a bracket 62 on each of the channel members 55 at a common elevation adjacent to the lowerends thereof. With the display sign 21 removed from the upper end of the spindle 14, a lower-most tray 42 is passed downwardly over the spindle and rested on the brackets. The central openings in the trays fitted to the spindle and channel members 55, dependably locate the trays concentrically of the spindle. Successive sets of brackets 62 are positioned in vertically spaced relation on the support members 55 and their respective trays rested thereon, as shown in Fig. l. The vertical spacing of the brackets determines the spaced relation of their respective trays so that the stand can be adjusted to accommodate various types of merchandise in the trays for most effective display.

The support tube 41 and the trays 42 supported thereon are optionally rotated by the same motor 31 that rotates the spindle 14. To this end, an upwardly disposed, frusto-conical driving plate 80 is attached concentrically to the spindle immediately above the pulley 34. A downwardly disposed frusto-conical driven plate 81 having a central bore 82 is slidably located over the lower end of the support tube 41. The driven plate is non rotatably keyed to the support tube for vertical positioning thereon by the provision of a key slot 83 in the driven plate inwardly disposed to the bore 82 and the mounting of a key or pin 84 in the support tube in key slot engagement. The driven plate is urged downwardly toward the driving plate by a Washer 85 located in circumscribing relation to the lower end of the support tube against the lower ends of the channel members and a helical compression spring 86 located under compression between the washer and the upper portion of the driven plate.

Rotary motion of the driving plate 80, incident to energization of the motor 31, is transferred to the driven plate 81 by a control mechanism mounted on a standard 90 extended upwardly from one of the legs 12 of the base member. A lever 91 is pivotally mounted at 92 between its ends at the upper end of the standard. A frusto-conical friction pinion 93 is rotatably supported on a stud 94 at the inner end of the lever in a position between the frusto-conical surfaces of the driving plate 80 and the driven plate 81. Whenever the driving plate is rotated with the pinion 93 engaged with both plates, the driven plate is also rotated but in an opposite direction.

It is desirable at times to interrupt the rotation of the trays, as for sales selection purposes, but to continue the rotation of the display sign 21 to attract attention. To this end, a pedal 98 is pivotally mounted at 99 on a rock shaft 100 on one leg 12 of the base member. The rock shaft also extends rotatably through a support 101 projecting downwardly from the leg on which the pedal is mounted. A crank 102 extends radially from the inner end of the rock shaft with a control rod 103 interconnecting the outer end of the lever 91 and the crank. When it is desired to eifect driven connection between the driving and the driven plates to rotate both the sign and the tray assembly, the pedal is moved to the position shown in Fig. 8 with the crank in the position shown in Fig. 7 and the pinion 93 in frictional contact with both plates. When it is desired to interrupt rotation of the trays, but to continue rotation of the sign, the pedal 98 is oppositely positioned, as shown in dashed line in Fig. 8, which causes the crank to pivot downwardly to a position past dead center. This pivoting of the pedal and crank tilts the lever 91 in a direction to raise the friction pinion 93. On lifting the friction pinion, it disengages the driving plate 80 and forces the driven plate 81 upwardly.

Operation The display stand of the present invention is conveniently shipped and/ or stored in a compact condition with the sign plate 25 removed from the sign frames 24, the sign frames 24 removed from the sign support 22, the support removed from the receptacle 20 of the spindle 14, the trays 42 removed from their respective brackets 62 and stacked in nested arrangement, the brackets removed from their respective channel members 55, the channel members and tube 41 removed from the spindle 14, and the spindle 14 removed from the bore 13 of the pedestal 11. Such disassembly is conveniently accomplished by sequentially lifting each of the elements referred to from its respective element with which it is gravitationally connected.

To reassemble the display stand, the spherical roller bearings 15 are placed in the bore 13 and the spindle 14 fitted downwardly into the bore of the pedestal 11 and rested on the bearings. The tube 41 is slidably fitted downwardly over the bearing block 45 and the race 48 with the upper end tube rested on the rollers 47 and the lower end of the tube rotatably positioned concentrically of the spindle by the roller bearings 50. The sets of brackets 62 are positioned in vertically spaced relation on the channel members 55 and their respective trays rested thereon. The sign support 22 is fitted downwardly into the receptacle 20, the sign frames 24 mounted on the support, and the sign plate 25 mounted on the frames 24. Any desired advertising, informative, or sales material is displayed on the sign.

Merchandise or other articles, not shown, which it is desired to display, is rested in the trays 42. The motor 31 is energized and the spindle 14 and display sign 21 rotated in a common direction. It has been found that the movement of the display sign attracts attention to the display stand and is an efiective sales aid. To rotate the trays 42 more eflEectively to display material disposed thereon, the pedal 98 is positioned, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, so as to lower the pinion 93 and driven plate 81 into driven connection with the driving plate 80. The movement of the trays in the direction opposite from that of the display sign attracts attention and successively disposes material distributed about trays for convenience of examination.

When it is desired to stop the trays 42, the pedal 98 is pivoted into the position shown in dashed line in Fig. 8 elevating the pinion 93 from the driving plate 80. In such condition, the trays may obviously be manually rotated by customers or the like in order more eifectively to examine merchandise thereon.

The display stand of the present invention is simple in structure, speedily and easily assembled and disassembled by even unskilled individuals, can be stored and shipped in compact form, and has proved by substantial aid in the effective display of merchandise.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A display stand comprising a base, an elongated spindle journaled in a substantially erect position in the base, driving means mounted on the base having rotational driving connection with the spindle, a display sign mounted on the upper end of the spindle for rotation therewith, a tube rotatably mounted concentrically on the spindle and having a lower end, a tray adapted to support merchandise for display purposes mounted on the tube, a driving plate rigidly mounted concentrically on the spindle adjacent to the lower end of the tube, a driven plate mounted concentrically on the lower end of the tube above and adjacent to the driving plate for unitary rotational movement with the tube and adjustable elevational movement relative to the driving plate, a friction pinion positioned between the driving plate and the driven plate with the driven plate rested thereon, and controlled means mounted on the base rotatably mounting the pinion in axially fixed radial relation to the spindle for adjustable elevational movement whereby the pinion is selectively lowered into driven engagement with the driving plate and elevated from engagement with the driving plate.

2. In a collapsible power driven display stand, the combination of a base having a substantially erect pedestal providing an upwardly disposed bore, an elongated substantially erect spindle gravitationally rested in the bore of the pedestal for rotation therein, the spindle having an upper end providing an upwardly disposed receptacle axially thereof, a substantially erect rod-like sign support gravitationally rested in the receptacle, sign means mounted on the support, a bearing block mounted concentrically on the spindle adjacent to the upper end thereof, a tube mounted concentrically on the spindle having a constricted upper end providing an inwardly and downwardly disposed bearing gravitationally supported on the bearing block and a lower end, a substantially circular tray mounted concentrically on the tube, a driving plate rigidly mounted concentrically on the spindle adjacent to the lower end of the tube, a driven plate mounted concentrically on the lower end of the tube in elevationally spaced adjacent relation to the driving plate for unitary rotational movement with the tube and adjustable elevational movement relative to the driving plate, means yieldingly urging the driven plate toward the driving plate, a friction pinionpositioned between the driving plate and the driven plate'with the driven plate rested thereon, and controlled means mounted on the base rotatably mounting the pinion in axially fixed radial relation to the spindle for adjustable elevational movement whereby the pinion is selectively lowered into driven engagement with the driving plate and elevated from engagement with the driving plate.

3. A display stand comprising a base, a spindle journaled in the base in a substantially erect position and having an upwardly extended end, a display sign mounted on the upper end of the spindle, a tube rotatably mounted concentrically on the spindle, a plurality of substantially circular display trays mounted concentrically on the tube for unitary rotational movement therewith, a motor mounted on the base having driving connection to the spindle, a driving plate having an upwardly disposed frusto-conical driving surface mounted concentrically on the spindle for unitary rotational movement therewith adjacent to the lower end of the tube, a driven plate having a downwardly disposed frusto-conical surface mounted for unitary rotational movement and adjustable elevational movement on the lower end of the tube adjacent to the driving plate, a lever pivotally mounted on the base on a substantially horizontal axis having an end disposed adjacent to the plates and an opposite end, a frusto-conical friction pinion mounted on the end of the lever adjacent to the plates for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis radially related to the spindle and selectively engageable with the driving plate and in supporting relation to the driven plate, a foot pedal mounted for rocking movement in the base between two predetermined alternate rest positions, and a push-pull rod pivotally connected to the end of the lever opposite to the plates and to the foot pedal whereby the pedal in one of its positions elevates the pinion from the driving plate and in its other position lowers the pinion into driving engagement with the driving plate for rotation of the driven plate, the tube, and the trays in a direction opposite to rotation of the spindle and the display sign.

4. A display stand comprising a base; an elongated spindle mounted in a substantially erect position on the base; a tube rotatably mounted concentrically on the spindle and having a lower end; a tray mounted on the tube and adapted to support merchandise for display purposes; and means for selectively rotating the tube comprising a driving plate coaxially mounted on the spindle adjacent to the lower end of the tube, a driven plate mounted on the lower end of the tube for rotation therewith and in close proximity above the driving plate, the driven plate being movable in an axial direction with respect to the tube, a friction pinion positioned between the driving plate and the driven plate with the driven plate rested on the pinion, lever means mounted on the base for pivotal movement around a substantially horizontal axis and rotatably supporting the pinion whereby the pinion is selectively engageable with the driving plate, and power means for rotating the driving plate.

5. A display stand according to claim 4 and including spring means biasing said driven plate in a direction toward said driving plate.

6. A display stand comprising a support, an elongated spindle journalled in a substantially erect position in the support, driving means mounted on the support having rotational driving connection with the spindle, a display member mounted on the spindle for rotation therewith, a tube rotatably mounted concentrically on the spindle having opposite ends, a tray adapted to support merchandise for display purposes mounted on the tube, a driving plate rigidly mounted concentrically on the spindle adjacent to one of the ends of the tube, a driven plate mounted concentrically on the end of the tube adjacent to the driving plate in elevationally spaced adjacent relation to the driving plate for unitary. rotational movement with the tube and adjustable elevational movement relative to the driving plate, a friction pinion positioned between the driving plate and the driven plate and engaging the driven plate, and control means mounted on the support rotatably mounting the pinion in substantially axially fixed radial relation to the spindle for adjustable elevational movement whereby the pinion may be selectively moved toward and from driven engagement with the driving plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gadbury Nov. 8, 1898 James Mar. 3, 1903 Xander May 12, 1908 Jenkins Feb. 9, 1909 Hines June 30, 1914 Bookstaber Mar. 21, 1916 White Apr. 5, 1921 Reed et a1 Apr. 26, 1932 

